Basket.



No. 694,239. Patented Femzs, |902.

. T. .L LANGsTuN.

BASKET.

(Application me@ Aug'. 9, 1901.)

(No Model.) I

A 7TOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. LANGSTON, OF JOHNSTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

BASKET.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part of :Letters Patent No. 694,289, dated February 25, 1902 Application filed August 9,1901. Serial No. 71,520. (No model.)

To @ZZ w/wm t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. LANGsToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnston, in the county of Edgeeld and State of South Carolina, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in baskets, being` in the nature of a folding basket in which the body portion is supported by a frame, so it can be extended for use and compactly folded with the frame when not in use; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing, Figure l is a perspective View of the basket adjusted for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the basket folded. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the corners of the body-frames. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the ratchet mechanism in connect-ion With one of the cross-braces, and Fig. 5 is a detail crosssection on about line 5 5 of Fig. l. Figs. 6, 7 8, and 9 are detail views.

In carrying out my invention I provide the body A in the form of a iexible collapsible bag-like construction, which may be of canvas or other suitable material and can be distended for use, as shown in Fig. l, or folded when not in use, as shown in Fig. 2. In connection with this body A, I provide what for convenience of reference I term a bodyframe B and a handle-frame C, each of said frames being constructed of two substantially similar sections, as will more fully appear hereinafter. One of these frames B and C is arranged to stretch the mouth of the body A, while the other one of said frames is arranged to stretch the bottom of the body A when the basket is adjusted for use, as shown in Fig.`1. In the specific construction shown the body A is provided at its bottom at its several corners with straps A', by which it is connected to the free ends of the members of thel handle-frame C, and the sections B and B2 of the body-frame are pivoted together at B8 and are each provided with a cross-bar B4, connecting its side arms, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3. The crossbars B4 are preferably connected with the side arms B5V of the frame-sections B by means of the joint-pieces D, (shown in detail in Fig. 3,) each having members formed at right angles to each other to complete the corner and channeled on their inner sides to' pieces at the opposite end of said cross-bar Y B4 are secured permanently at CZ by rivets or otherwise to the side bar B5 and detachably by screws d or other suitable means to the cross-bar B4, so the latter can be detached whenever it is desired to remove the body portion A and replace it by another body portion, the body portion being provided at its ends at A2 with casings in Which the arms B4 may be slipped, as will be understood from Fig; l. By this construction it will be noticed that when the body-frame is opened, as shown in Fig. 1, it will stretch the bodyA and will form a support therefor. To hold the body open, I provide cross-braces E, which are pivoted at E at one end and are arranged at their opposite ends to engage a ratchet F, supported on one of the side bars of the bodyframe, as shown in Figs. l and 4. By preference the ratchet consists of a strip of plate metal secured upon the upper face of the frame-bar and slitted to free the teethF, which are struck up, as best shown in Fig. 4, to form a bearing for the 'end of the bracebar E. Such brace-bar E is also provided at its ends With a channeled plate E', Which projects at its extremities at F.2 beyond the bar E, forming an edge to engage with the teeth F', the plate E being also provided with Wings E3, which overlap the bars of the frame, as shown in Fig. 4.` By this construction the upper ends of the bars of the body-frame can be securely held apart to any desired degree, stretching the basket-body at its top and holding the same open, for use.

The bars of the handle-frame are constructed in the form of bows C C' and are pivoted at C2 to the side bars of the body-frame and have extensions C5 below the said pivots C2, the extremities of which extensions O3 are secured to the outer ends of the straps A", as

ICG

shown in Fig. l. At their upper ends the l which may engage the other bow to secure the bows in position. It will be noticed that by this means the bows of the handle-frame not only operate to stretch or distend the bottom of the body A, but they also form a convenient handle for carrying the basket as desired.

It will be noticed that the bottom of the basket forms a yielding cushion for any articles of fruit or the like that may be placed in the basket, preventing the bruisingof same. When the basket is not in use, the crossbraces E may be freed from the ratchet F and the parts compactly folded to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position they will occupy but a small space in storage or during transportation, and when ready for use can be quickly adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 1 and will be securely maintained in such position by the devices before described. e As best shown in Fig. 2, the straps A are the projecting ends of straps which extend diagonally across the bottom of the body A of the basket and may be secured to said body throughout the extent to which they underlie the same, and thus form braces for the said bottom. It is preferred to provide for adjusting the straps A. To this end I provide on the ends of the extensions C3 of the handles loops H, which are preferably formed by bending from suitable strips of sheet metal to form the lower cross-bar H and the side boxes H2, which are provided at H3 with spurs to bite into the extensions C3 of the handles so the loops H may be secured to the extensions C3 Without the necessity of any separate fastenings. I also provide abuckle I for adj usting the straps A. These buckles may be of the construction shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 9, having a cross-bar I', to which one end of the strap A may be secured by aloop a', as shown in Fig. 6, so the strap can be readily secured to and detached from the cross-bar I of the buckle, the opposite end of the buckle being provi-ded with the guide-slot I2, having a guarded opening I3 at one end and roughened or toothed, as shown at I4, to prevent the slipping of the strap through it when adjusted for use, as shown in Figs. l and 6.

.The basket may be used for anydesired purpose and will be found useful for carrying water for campers or others, being especially adapted for such purpose.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The basket herein described, consisting of the flexible collapsible body, the bodyframe composed of two members each having side bars and cross-bars at one end and the side bars of the two members being pivoted y the crown thereof, and the cross-braces piv-A oted at one end to the side bars of one member of the body-frame, and ratchets on the side bars of the other member of the bodyframe for engagement by the free end of said brace-bars, substantially as set forth.

5.. A basket having a collapsible body, and a body-frame and handle-frame, one of said frames being connected with the top of the body at the opposite ends thereof only, the sides of the top of the body being free and flexible and the other frame being connected with the bottom of said body whereby said frames may distend the body at the top and bottom thereof in the 'adjustment of the basy ket for use, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the collapsible basket-body, of the body-frame composed of members pivoted together and having their cross-bars connected with the top of thebasket-body at the ends thereof, andthe handleframe having its sections pivoted to the members of the body-frame and extended below said pivot outside of the basket-body and connected with the lower portion of the body, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the body, of the body-frame composed of members pivoted together and connected with the body at the top thereof, and the handle-frame composed of sections pivoted to the members of the body-frame, and straps connecting the body at the several corners thereof With-the handleframe, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a collapsible body and a body-frame for distending the same at its top, of a handle-frame connected with the body-frame and extending along the outside of the basket-body and arranged to distend the body at its bottom, substantially as set fort-h.

6.k The combinationwith the body and the body-frame composed of members pivoted together, of the brace-rods operating between the members of the body-frame, the handleframe having its sections pivoted to the members of the body-frame, and connections between the body-frame members and the sections of the handle-frame and the body, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a collapsible basket-body and the frame therefor, of a handleframe composed of sections having portions extending along the outside of the basketvbody to points approximately, opposite the bottom of the body, and means connecting the said outside portions of the handle-frame IOO with the basket-body whereby the handle can operate to distend the bottom of the basketbody, substantially as set forth.v

8. A basket comprising the basket-'body and the body-frame composed of members having side bars and cross-bars, and the an gular joint-pieces connecting the side bars and cross-bars at the corners of the body-frame members and channeled to receive the said bars, substantially as set forth.

9. A basket having a collapsible body com-A posed of flexible material, a frame for supporting said body from its top, a frame for distending said body at its bottom, and iiexible connections or straps between the bottom of the body and the frame, substantially as set forth.

10. A basket composed of a flexible collapsible body anvd body-frame therefor composed of folding members, and the handle-frame for said basket projecting above the basket-body and also composed of folding members and extending along the outside of the basketbody, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination in a folding basket, of the collapsible body, the body-frame composed of members pivoted together and connected with the top of the basket at its opposite ends, and the handle-frame composed of members pivoted to the members of the bodyframe and having portions extended outside of and connected with the bottom of the basket-body, and means for bracing the members of the body-frame apart, substantially as set forth.

l2. The combination of the collapsible basket-body, a body-frame therefor, a frame for distending said body at its bottom, straps between the bottom and dstending-frame, and buckle devices for-,adjusting the said straps, substantially as set forth.

13. A basket composed of a iiexible collapsible body, abody-frame, a distending-frame having portions extending outside of the basket-body, and straps connected with the basket-bodyat the opposite lcorners thereof and extending thence diagonally outward and secured to the distending-frame substantialy as set forth.

14. The combination in afolding basket of the iiexible collapsible body,the handle-frame composed of the members pivoted between their endsand having portions extending above the basket-body to Vform a handhold and portions extending along the outside of the basket-body, and devices connecting the latter portions with the bottom of the basketbody substantially as set forth.

15. A basket composed of a flexible body, a

distending-frame having portions extending along the outside of the body and straps connecting the basket-body with the distendingframe substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of the flexible basketbody, a body-frame, ahandle-frame composed of bows pivoted to the body-frame and having their upper bow portions arranged to jointly form a handheld and their lower portions extended outside the iiexible body and connections between the said lower portions and the `7 flexible body substantially as set forth.

THOMAS J. LANGSTON. y

Witnesses:

SoLoN G KEMON, PERRY B. TURPIN. 

